July 25, 2015. Find No. 72, Star Trek - DIStant COusins, the movie. (Mechinima, Silver Age, Star Trek Online, drama) This English language Film is made in Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, although the Facebook page is in Slovenian. After the opening, it becomes very slow placed. Although animations of humans appear on the screen, the only voice is the voiceover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0Qu4cVCqUo (1:17:50). It appears to be somewhat complete, although when posted it was originally described as the first part of a multi-part epic. For a discussion of this film and links to more about this unique group of cross-border gamers and filmmakers, see http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/135.html

July 12, 2015, Major New Release from a new Golden Age series, Excaliber Logs (there are three existing audio and video shows with the name Star Trek: Excaliber, but not Excaliber Logs) The creator consider this an audio drama, From Gary Davis, Chapter 1, "Who Haunts This Ship." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVeilZXcvIw (15:13). Thanks to the guy I call "South Africa" for pointing this one out to me when I got online after taking a day to have a life. (Yeah, this is the Trek Community and he lives in South Africa.). Comment: Low-quality 2D animation, mechanical voices. For everything about Excaliber Logs as well listening information on four dozen other Star Trek Audio shows, see http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/247.html

This website claims to track all changes made to Star Trek Reviewed: change log
I created my own similiar tracking page: change log. They appear to track only the changes in this top log.

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

1Quick Picks
Don't want to waste time reading reviews? Just want to know which fan films to watch first? I've already found these Quick Pick Treasures:

For Golden Age Fan Film Star Trek,

The most praised group of all the Star Trek Fan Film producers, Star Trek: Phase II (formerly Star Trek: New Voyages). Although each of their episodes have much to recommend them, you might start with "World Enough and Time" which is their third episode. Go to (Blog 20) Star Trek Phase II or Star Trek New Voyages for discussions and reviews, or directly to their website, and download and watch it: http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/?page_id=378 Rating: 5. Also, the best fan film I have seen. In one additional note, this Fan Film Group has such enthusiastic followers that it has a Fan Film about New Voyages/Phase II's Fan Films! (See Short One Shots in the Table of Contents).

For a very original but well done take on Trek, follow the Merchant Ship, Aurora and her two woman crew as they make cargo runs and face the challenges of space without the help of a massive ship, weapons, or Starfleet. Star Trek: Aurora, Blog 25 Star Trek: Aurora. Single episode, beautiful 3D animation, well written, well edited, good voice acting, Rating: 5

OR click on:

Star Trek: Intrepid
but watch the episodes in this order:Heavy Lies the CrownTransitions and LamentationsConfessions by FirelightMachinationsWhere There's a SeaTurning PointA Stone Unturned

Speak Czech? Or, if not, willing to handle subtitles? If so, I can recommend "Star Trek: The Metrensky Incident". Rating: 5. See Blog 85, Star Trek: The Metrensky Incident for both download instructions and instructions on how to run the film with the subtitled language of your choice.

[proposed section]Other Quick Picks: The following films are all very good, rated 4 or 4.5, but lack a single element that would move them up to a 5. That element might be poor quality sound or picture at places that doesn't interfere with viewing enjoyment, or a great, well-told story with no 'message'.
For example,

I have only begun going through the comedies and parodies, and do not expect to develop a system to rate them. However, I can strongly recommend the animated film, Stone Trek. Episode One, The Deadly Ears. I can also recommend Stalled Trek: Amutt Time.

But, be Warned: I haven't watched most of the Star Trek fan films listed here.

I've sorted out websites that have films from ones that don't, and found films on You-Tube, Vimeo, and other video-hosting websites that have no websites of their own. I'm optimistic that much of what I've found but haven't watched yet is very good! However, know that I have removed a few films I have glanced at for sexual content. I have created a separate "Adults Only" website for Fan Films with explicit sex and violence. Links to that website, rather than links to those fan films, are in the appropriate places in this website. I'm trying to put links to every fan film which does not have that kind of problem which I can find below, organized in a useful way... I have put aside plans to review most films until a later time. If I do more reviews, I want to inform you about what's good to watch... what's good to skip.... and enough about why I think so so that if your taste differs from mine, you can watch what will make you happy. Where I've found easy to access reviews or review threads on the fan films, I've included them. Randy Hall of SciFiPulse has done many reviews of Star Trek Fan Films.

Go!Animate -- Easy Animations for TOS and TNG
Go!Animate's top Table of Contents entries are still here, plus it has it's own Table of Contents which gives EVERY Go!Animate Star Trek filmmaker a listing and a webpage. Go!Animate will also have both it's own Index and be part of the general Index at the end of this website. This new organization takes the form of an independent blog, Star Trek Reviewed - Go!Animate. Fully updated as of November 26, 2011.

Rating SystemNOTE: except for Quick Pick Treasures I no longer rate films because it's simply more than I can do while keeping up this listing. I encourage you to write a review of any fan film you watch, and tell me. Put it in a blog or elsewhere on the web and I will link to it as long as it is about the film, not the actors or people you are angry at, it is suitable for reading by children (unless the film is in Star Trek Restricted), and is in reasonably readable language.
I use a 6 point rating system. From best to worse, the rating system is:
5 - Excellent, wonderful -- as good as the best Star Trek made by anyone. It does well on all these: 1)Well written, 2) well acted, 3)enjoyable use of sets, background, CGI or other special effects, 4)entertaining, 5)well directed, 6)well edited, 7) it makes a point of some kind or explores an idea of political, scientific or social scientific interest... whether I agree or not, and 8) it provides a low level of suspension of disbelief beyond that required to watch and enjoy TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY. A 5 has all of these traits.
4 - Very Good, Entertaining, has 6 or 7 of the 8 points.
3 - Good to OK. It is a matter of taste. It has 4 or 5 points of 8. If you like Star Trek, it's probably worth a try.
2 - Not so good to watch. It has something going for it, but it only hits on 2 or 3 of the points, or is weak technically (see below). I recommend watching NovaScienceNow on PBS instead. Neil DeGrasse Tyson will give you The Cosmic Perspective. If it makes you feel better, he opened the show on August 18, 2009 wearing an TOS Starfleet captain's uniform...
1 - Hard to watch. It may have something good about it. Either it has just one or zero of the eight points, or it may just be technically so weak that it's hard to follow. but you'd be much better entertained by reruns of most made for television classroom lecture shows. Can I recommend "The Western Tradition," (http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html) introduction to physics (http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html) or a nice course in Algebra (http://www.learner.org/resources/series66.html) or Statistics(http://www.learner.org/resources/series65.html)?
"Really, Really Bad Stuff" or 0 - ... this stuff is worse than hard to watch. It's aggressively bad, and it has no redeeming qualities. These films are not given their own webpages, but are listed here: http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/209.html . They do offer us one redeeming quality... they make us appreciate the serious but failed efforts that may be rated a 1 or a 2.

EXTRA CREDIT for just plain fun!LOSE ONE POINT if the quality of the sound and video make watching it difficult, TWO POINTS if it's so bad it makes it hard to follow.LOSE ONE POINT for including non-Star Trek science fiction or serious literary sources (e.g., it treats Hamlet as history, not a play) in the stories, TWO POINTS if the non-Star Trek materials are from fantasy or other non-reality based and non-Science Fiction sources (it includes magic, vampires, aliens who defy the laws of physics like Superman or Star Wars).

For a better understanding of the thinking behind this rating system, read these Blogs:

All rated fan films represent significant work.All rated fan films beat out watching meaningless trailers, teasers, credits for films that don't exist. Fan films websites listed under Blog 210 have no product. But these websites can issue a single full episode and can get any rating. This website is for viewers who want to watch fan films, not people who want to create them. Videos listed in Blog 209 are bad enough that my assertion that anything rated is better than just watching trailers and looking at banners is violated. The purpose of the ratings are to help the viewer not to degrade the creators, all of whom have clearly worked hard and lovingly.

FOR CREATORS OF FAN FILMS: I am trying to include the physical location of all fan film productions so that people who would like to be involved can contact a fan film in their own part of the world. That is also why I am including fan film websites with no product.

(Revised June, 2014)
Any film that is not under control of the franchise copyright holder for Star Trek is a fan film for purposes of this website. Whether and to what extent CBS and Paramount currently have a right to exclude others from making Star Trek, the meaning of the name, "Star Trek" and the meaning of the "Franchise copyright" however, could be much debated. That, however, will have to wait for the day somebody decides to get a court decision.

Fan Filmmakers include Star Trek Alumni, other entertainment professionals, adult fans who may or may not have some artistic or other relevant background, fans who have made no other films except pictures of their vacations and birthday parties, even kids who are filming themselves playing 'make believe.' Some are making serious tribute films, others comedies or parodies. I divide these groups into the Professionals whether or not they have worked on Star Trek, The adult fans, who I call 'garage producers,' teen fans who make what I call, 'Teen Trek' and child fans who make 'Kid Trek.'

Some of the products of Star Trek alumni, Trekkers, and Trekkies are of stellar quality. Some are better than some of the authorized professional materials. "Of Gods and Men" (See Blog 24) is a fan film because it is unauthorized and associated with James Cawley, who is Fan Film's Jacob to Gene Roddenbury's Abraham in the Star Trek World. However, "Of Gods And Men" stars professional actors. It is distinguished from professionally produced Star Trek only by the love so evidently put into the project... and the small production budget. Star Trek Phase II is produced by show business professionals, including James Cawley, who worked for Paramount on the later Star Trek series as a costumer, and who appears in both J.J. Abram's "Star Trek" and "Of Gods and Men." The production quality of Phase II films is obviously professional. Phase II has sold props to Paramount. (No $150 million budget, though.) Some credit James Cawley with saving the Star Trek franchise. However, former cast members and James Cawley are not the only Star Trek professionals who has produced fan films. Starship Exeter (Blog 21) includes Paramount Star Trek alumni, and boasts stellar quality work as well. Star Trek: Beyond is also produced by industry professionals, and has a significant volume of output of fan films available for viewing. (see Blog 170). Star Trek Continues is made by industry pros who appear to have no Star Trek experience. (see Blog 27).

Top producing live action garage productions include Hidden Frontier (Blogs 100-105)(California USA), George Kayaian (more than one series, (Blog 34))(New York, USA), Project Potemkin (Blog 31)(Georgia, USA), Star Trek Reliant (Newfoundland, Canada)(Blog 128) and Star Trek Unity (England, UK) (Blog 90). There are also numerous animations, some of which are produced by, e.g. advertising pros, so it's harder to draw the lines for these. Several Audio dramas are have received various awards for quality and content. (All audio dramas are at Blog 247).

I am in the process of assigning Fan Film Maker groups into one of three groups. (A) says they are Actively producing new Fan Films. (B) says that they may have something in the can they are working on releasing, but no serious plans for more after that. (B) alternatively would apply to a group which has plans but have let a lot of time elapse since their last film. A Group partway through a partially released film with more than one year between sections may also be given a (B) if they have no specific release date for their next section. (C) says the group has Completed all Star Trek Fan Films. It may still be producing prose, comics, audio shows, or other fan Trek, but it is done with films.

For the location of fan film producers, here is a map which is a work in progress:
In some cases, all I have is a nation, a state or a province of origin, not a city, so many of the markers (e.g. in Germany) are not exact. They are (with the Exception of "Enterprise," "Titan", and "The Way Back") just somewhere in Germany. In many cases, I don't even have that yet. The map is a map of the world. You can move what you see in the window around with you mouse. You can then zoom in on your part of the world to see what, if any, fan films are made in your area. However, fan film groups in Blog 210 with a two-letter designation are believed to not be active. Most of these have been removed from the map. Those starting with A (as in AB) may have some slow work being done, or may be on hold for a short time (e.g., six months). Some links may also be pre-reorganization of this website. Check the Index, at Blog 250, to find information about a filmmaker with an outdated link.

The Original Series("TOS") and The Animated Series("TAS") and Star Trek XI, JJ Abrams Star Trek (JJA) will be referred to here as Golden Age Star Trek. Fan production set at the time of Golden Age Star Trek are fan film links and reviews start at Blog 20, with Phase II/New Voyages. (Roughly, 2250-2349 AD.)

Star Trek: The Next Generation("TNG") through late TNG Movies, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("DS9") and Voyager("VOY") and shortly thereafter time line are here referred to as the "Silver Age" Star Trek. Silver Age fan production links and reviews star at Blog 80. (Roughly 2350-2449 AD.)

Fan productions set in the time of the last series, Enterprise, until Spock enters Star Fleet Academy will be referred to here as "Stone Age" Star Trek. Stone Age fan production links and reviews start at Blog 10,. (Roughly 2150-2249 AD.)

Some fan film productions are set 70 or more years after Voyager returns to Earth. Star Trek Beyond is set 160 years after Voyager. Clearly, this is not Silver Age Star Trek. I will call films set roughly from 70 to 270 years after Voyager returns to Earth Bronze Age Star Trek. Bronze Age fan productions links and reviews will start at Blog 170. (Roughly 2450-2749 AD.)

I was originally unsure how to handle fan films produced based on the J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot. I once proposed calling it "Iron Age" Star Trek or "Iron Pyrite Age" Star Trek. But that would not fit my 'time line' based system. I then realized that if I were going to differentiate between J.J. Abrams Star Trek and TOS, I also had to make a distinction between the original time line and Trek set in the Mirror Universe. I decided to call it entirely by time line for overall classification.

Most fan websites include only a few episodes, and have only one blog here to for their listings. However, Hidden Frontier is by far the largest website for fan produced Silver Age Trek. It is not created by entertainment industry professionals, although it is located in Southern California. In 2010, it stopped filming new Star Trek Fan Films, and now only produces audio Trek once in a while. One final film was released in 2011. It is also a website which has a clear political agenda, gay rights (or, as they must now be called in some states, "Takei rights."). It has completed an entire fan show series of 50 separate episodes, and has completed filming three new series as well as a non-Star Trek series, some of which continue as audio shows. I will note that the non-Star Trek materials exist, but will not link to them. Hidden Frontier is in Blog 100 , but it's series are in Blogs 101 through, Blog 107. Voyages of The USS Angeles, a fan film series which forms the basis of the Hidden Frontier fan films, is at Blog 107. You can also listen to their new audio series which continues these adventures.

GoAnimate! Is a major website of an entirely different sort. They had tools for easy animations to let anyone make animated Star Trek, although their rights to do this ended in 2012. The work done using Go!Animate has been given it's own website, Star Trek Reviewed - Go!Animate. This is the Table of Contents: Table of Contents for Star Trek Reviewed - Go!Animate

Where to draw the line between major films or groups of small films which get their own blog and small groups of shorts or one-shot shorts that do not isn't perfectly clear. For the time being, that distinction is being made in a somewhat arbitrary manner.

eMBee has been kind enough to provide the following total run times for some select Star Trek Fan Film production groups as of October 10, 2013. The following text is unedited:

sorted by time, this list includes all series with more than one episode
which i have seen. (i have not yet seen all of Unity or Reliant, but i
have the files so i added them in)
Highlander is sorted before Encarta because i am missing episode 3 which
is not published yet and i am sure it is longer than the 15 minutes
difference.
i also included Frontier Guard, but you can skip them if you like.

Unity does not include the first 17 episodes, so there is actually more.
and of course any series i don't even know about yet is also not
included. (i'll get through watching what i have before i pick the next
one from your lists, unless some series happens to make itself known by
a new release like Reliant just did last month, then i'll pick that next)

also not included are individual films like "Of Gods and Men" and others
of significant length. i can compile another list for those some other
time. (alltogether i have seen about 8 hours worth of those, but that
number is meaningless because it is just a fraction of what is out there

5 This listing has not been updated in four years. It always needed more detail on some groups to be more useful. The user can scan this for Drama or Comedy, live action, animation, mechinima, puppets, or other forms. For Audio, see Audio listings. Ideally there would be a little additional detail to help the watcher pick a set of films to consider. I currently list 66 groups of the over 90 listed in this website which have produced fan films. Most that are currently producing a film and have already put out significant output ("significant" is arbitrarily defined by me.) do not have their own listings, if they have not produced a full film. Abandon projects by groups that have completed projects will be found under the producer's webpage or, in the case of Hidden Frontier, webpages, here.

These Star Trek Fan Films are set in the past, the present day or in the future but prior to the Stone Age which begins 2150 AD (or CE).

Blog 6: Duet. Drama, live action. Set in post-World War II Germany
Home on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/actorwriterdca
Home base is Garden Grove, California. Film is shot in color before a green screen and changed into black and white as a special effect.

Blog 7: Steam Trek. Historical recreation, live action. This tribute to Trek and the beginnings of film tells a story which is part 20,000 leagues under the sea, part Perils of Pauline, and yes, part Star Trek, in black and white and in the style of early silent films. I have also included links to two genuine early silent films so that the reader can compare this recreation to the real thing. One, a Trip to the Moon, is said to include the first special effects, the second, The Great Train Robbery, the first to tell a story.

Blog 8, Stone Trek. Comedy, animation. Several films, Star Trek in the animation style of the Flintstones, but no Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Bam Bam or Pebbles in sight. The comedy style may be Flintstones, but these stories are 100 per cent Star Trek, or whatever other franchise is being satirized.

Stone Age Fan Films: Star Trek set around the time of Enterprise or thereafter, but before the time of The Original Series. Stone Age Star Trek, roughly 2150-2249 Information on Enterprise, or Star Trek: Enterprise starts at Blog 180.

Blog 12:Star Trek Enterprise: The New Generation German. Drama. Stop Action animation, Both English and German voice cast and soundtrack, using the original German animation. Working on a second episode.

Blog 13: Lilredhead Studios. . Flash animation, Comedy. The first series, Enterprise Flashed, is based on the Enterprise TV series. Later, they produced two series based on Voyager, (Ahoyager) but the animator expressed frustrations with these series. Animator lives in Dickinson, North Dakota but has not worked on these fan animations in a few years.

Golden Age Fan Films (based on The Original Series, The Animated Series, or Star Trek XI set roughly from 2250-2349).
Information on The Original Series (TOS) itself starts at Blog 151.
Information on The Animated Series (TAS) is in Blog 155.
Information on the movie, Star Trek (Star Trek XI) (JJAbrams Trek) is in Blog 211.

Blog (20): Star Trek Phase II or Star Trek New Voyages, is the most professional of the fan films production companies. Drama, live action. This series attempted to continue the five year voyage of the Original Series with a new cast, but remarkable recreations of the bridge, and superior graphics. 3 short films plus 6 full length stories in 7 episodes, have been released, four more are in post production.http://www.startreknewvoyages.com//
The home base is Upstate New York, USA. Studios in Port Henry. A few short films by other members of the Phase II team as well as fan films of this fan film are also listed on this page.

Blog (21): Starship Exeter is set at the time of The Original Series, but on a different spaceship. Drama, live action. One complete dramatic episode, One live comedy short. Being based in Texas, its characters remind one of real NASA astronauts. A second episode was shot in 2004, and parts of it have been released, but nothing has been released since 2007. http://www.starshipexeter.com//
The home base is Texas, USA. A comedy short, "Night Shift" using the same set and the same captain, has also been released. Others have proposed animated episodes.

Blog (22): Starship Farragut Wins more awards than any other fan film series. It is set at the time of The Original Series, but on a different starship. Drama. Three live action dramatic episodes, two live action short episodes, two TAS style animated episodes. More in the works. http://www.starshipfarragut.com/ The home base is Washington, D.C., USA. Also, working on a TOS series with Kirk and crew, called "Star Trek Continues" which has released shorts but not episodes.

Blog (23): Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated Star Trek.Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated STAR TREK
This website does not appear to exist primarily to produce fan films, but more to promote The Animated Series ("TAS"). However, it has produced an animated fan film after the style of TAS, and part of a second film. It has also produced the only public service announcements ever produced for TAS, because TAS was the only Saturday Morning Cartoon whose content was considered to not require any public service announcements. Drama, TAS style 2D animation. His home base is Ridgecrest, California, USA

Blog (24): Star Trek: Of Gods and Men is a 40th Anniversary tribute to the entire franchise including many cast members from The Original Series as well as a DS9 and Voyager. It also includes the stars from Star Trek Phase II. It produced a single feature-length film in three parts. Drama, Live Action.http://startrekofgodsandmen.com/main// . This group is now producing a new film, not yet filmed, "Star Trek Renegades."

Blog (25): Star Trek: Aurora A fully animated drama in 3D animation set just after TOS which follows a non-starfleet merchant ship. Drama. One episode has been released, a second is in the works. http://www.auroratrek.com/index.html/
Their home base is Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Blog (26): Tales of the Seventh Fleet
Although this website reserves the right to produce fan films about any ship in any time period, the three episodes they have actually produced are in the late Golden Age. Drama, live action.http://www.podship.com/totsf_files.htm Their home base is New Jersey. Nothing new since 2009.

Blog (27): ***

Blog (28) Turist Ömer Uzay Yolunda (a.k.a. Turkish Star Trek) (1973) One of a series of films about the mishaps of a Turkish hobo, Tourist Omar. Usually he hops a train or hitches a car ride. This time, he hitches a ride on the Enterprise. Sort of like the Harry Mudd episodes, but with a zanier, cuter, more fish-out-of-water and less threatening offbeat character. Comedy, adventure, Live Action

Blog (29): Star Trek: Frontier A single episode made in "machinima" and available on You-Tube. Set on another ship at the time of TOS. Drama.

Blog (30)Starship Mojave A film which uses children to play the parts of Starfleet Officers. Live Action. TOS era.

Blog (34) Up All Night Productions presents, The Multiverse Crisis, a Trilogy. Currently available, the 2nd of three films, Star Trek: The Incident at Beta 9 Drama, Live Action fan film which offers an explanation for why TOS Klingons look different than later series and Movie Klingons. Home base is Franklin Square, New York on Long Island.

Blog (35)Calvertfilm Presents two short filmed stories, Intrepid Finale and The Brave and the Valiant. Drama, Live Action, pre-CGI film (late 1990s) and confab of TOS footage. Both films involve the TOS Enterprise Their homebase is Romford, England.

Blog (36)Star Trek Eagle First episode of what may become a series. Set in 2269. Drama, live action. Teen production. Home base is Dassel, Minnesota, USA

Blog (37)Star Trek: Machinima A planned series. Set on Captain Kirk's Enterprise. Drama. As the title suggests, it's Machinima. Home base is Pensacola, Florida USA. The first episode and part of the second has been released. Plans for the 3rd move it to TNG era.

Blog (38) Bastards of Kirk Live Action, Comedy/Parody. 60 Minutes explores what happened to the many alien women after Kirk loved 'em and left 'em... the offspring they bore, the Federation cover up, and the consequences for interplanetary war and peace.

Blog (60): Go!Animate Star Trek Fan Animations
Home base is New York, USA, with offices in San Francisco CA USA and Hong Kong, China.
This website provides tools for dozens of animators to create their own animations, including tools specifically designed to create Star Trek flash animations. Animators who have produced large bodies of work are listed below, most are listed in (60). The animations are highly stylized figures with limited motion choices, but with greater flexibility than machinima. Mixture of Drama, Comedy, Parody, commercials, instructional videos, public announcements.

Blog (61): RoTV Animations
Home base is Stanford, Maine, USA
RoTV has created a number of dramatic Star Trek animations, some excellent, some weak.

Blog (62): Star Trek: Armada, and other Section 31 Animations. (Home base is Manchester, UK) Star Trek: Armada is the largest and best know of the animated series coming out of GoAnimate! Two seasons, 19 episodes, over two hours of action/adventure Sci Fi animations. Section 31 has produced other animations, including two series. TOS era films are dramas, TNG era is comedy.

Blog 83: Star Trek: The Way Back
Set immediately after Star Trek X. AlthoughStar Trek: The Way Back appears, from it's web address to be German, there is, as of this time, no known German soundtrack for this internationally created animation.